Page 79 of Corrupted Deception

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,SignorinaSantoro,” Gabe said, still eyeing me warily.

Cait laughed and turned her head to look up at him. “Stop looking at her like she plans to eat your son,” she chastised him lightly. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

He raised one eyebrow at her.

“Your son is here, in part because of her,” she said, speaking quietly. “She helped Nacio find him.”

The wariness in Gabe’s green eyes fell away. “Then you have my deepest gratitude,” he said, making me want to squirm a bit like Nic.

I shrugged. “I’m just an avid “Where’s Waldo” enthusiast.” I turned my attention to Nic. “And you’re the best Waldo there ever was, aren’t you?”

Nic’s brows drew together. “Who’s Waldo?”

Cait laughed. “Come on,” she said, motioning for me to follow her through the house and out onto the back patio.

As we stepped outside, Nic hugged me tight, then wriggled like a fish out of water in my arms. The moment I lowered him down and his feet hit the ground, he was on the move, dashing across the yard and hurtling over ornamental shrubs.

“He hasn’t slowed down any,” I observed, watching him run as we sat down on the patio chairs.

Cait shook her head. “He seems to get more energetic—and more adventurous—by the day,” she said, eyeing me with mock reproof.

I opened my mouth to reply at the same time the patio doors flew open and another woman stormed out, her arms laden with magazines and folders. She was dressed in blue scrubs and had dark hair like Cait and I, but her eyes were blue and she bore no resemblance to Cait’s fiancé.

“That stupid, freaking—” she paused mid-sentence when she spotted me. “Sorry,” she said with an apologetic half-smile. “I didn’t realize Cait had company.”

“No worries. I’m less ‘company’ and more ‘friend who drops in unannounced’, so please continue,” I said with an awkward smile.

“What’s the matter, Raven?” Cait asked.

Raven huffed and dropped the armful of magazines, folders, and apparently, brochures down on the outdoor table.

“Nothing,” she said with a shrug as she flopped down in one of the patio chairs. “Just the fact my fiancé wants to stay single forever,” she said, glaring at the door.

Cait raised an eyebrow. “I somehow doubt that,” she said reassuringly.

Raven let out a heavy breath and shook her head. “Just wedding crap. Where… when…” She looked at the glass door, eyes narrowed. “Why,” she huffed under her breath.

The corners of Cait’s lips twitched.

“I can help you with the ‘where’,” I offered without thinking it through.

Raven looked at me like she didn’t quite know what to say.

“Um, who are you?” she asked, not unkindly.

“Raven, this is Char—a friend,” Cait explained. “Char, this is my fiancé’s brother’s fiancée, Raven.” She laughed. “That’s a mouthful.”

“And me!” Nic shouted as he came running toward us at full speed.

“And you, kiddo,” Cait said, smiling as Nic slammed into my legs.

She smiled a lot. She seemed happy, with a fiancé and a baby on the way.

For one flicker of a moment, Cielo’s ridiculously handsome face flashed through my mind, and I envied her. Cait deserved this, but it was the kind of life I could never have. That sucked.

So, let’s focus on good deeds, and all that shit, Char,the rational, albeit vulgar, voice in my head whispered.

As Nic released me and went back to hurtling over plants, I pulled out my phone and flipped through the photo gallery, in search of one particular picture. As it appeared on the screen, I hesitated. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, after all.

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